CHICAGO (March 15, 2010)—Home is where the heart is for dinnertime in 81 percent of U.S. households, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company. The NPD food and beverage market research study finds that home is the most popular location for eating dinner, and 47 percent of consumers report eating dinner with everyone in their household every night of the week.
According to NPD’s in-depth study on dinnertime consumption habits entitled Dinnertime MealScape Study, dinner is most often consumed in the kitchen, followed by the dining room and then family/living room. Approximately 40% of individuals are watching a TV show or video while eating. Although about half of households reported eating dinner together, shift eating is somewhat sizeable, with more than one in three consumers indicating they ate at a different time from other household members.
NPD’s Dinnertime MealScape Study reports that dinner is described as a “full or complete meal” by 68 percent of consumers; 29 percent of consumers feel dinner represented more of a “small or mini meal” and 2 percent viewed it as a snack.
“We found through our research that consumers derive the most enjoyment from preparing meals at home for their families,” said Dori Hickey, director of product management at NPD. “When we assessed consumer satisfaction with their dinnertime food and beverage selections, we found that overall satisfaction was higher among consumers who made dinner at home compared to those who ate out or brought food in. It’s really about bringing the family together and nurturing the ones we love by preparing and sharing a meal.”
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